What are some things that you have done as a gun owner that you felt proud of. It could be a ridiculously long shot, an impossible feat, a new record, anything really.

For me, it's the second time I got to shoot a friends P30L, I realized in hindsight that I hadn't blinked at the gunshots whatsoever, which is something that I thought was pretty good for my second time out shooting.

So, what are your achievements in the life of a gun owner that made you beam a little?

One incident comes to mind, no big deal really.
I was at an indoor range getting to know my then new Kimber. I was feeling good about my grouping when during a break the guy next to me complimented me on my shooting and asked if I was ex-military. I'm not as they wouldn't take me for health reasons but was very flattered.
That Kimber allways makes me look good.

I have introduced several people to shooting - friends of my daughters during their college years, and friends of my own that I have helped and encouraged.

As far as bragging-type things go, I have a 100% record trap shooting with a handgun. Tried it on a lark once when I was a kid, with a .22LR revolver I had at the time. Hit one clay and haven't tried again in the 35 or so years since, because I don't want to spoil my record.

I would have to say my most proud moment for me was about 9yrs old. Me and my dad were our rabbit hunting we were road hunting in moms 76pontiac bonneville. It was cold with about 4inches of snow on the ground. it was getting late and the sun was prob 25 min from going down and we were headed home after bagging about 30 or so rabbits this was one of our main food supplies back then. anyway about 150yards out into this field near some fallen trees i thought i spotted a rabbit. dad said he wasnt sure it was one but to go ahead and take a shot if i wanted. he gave me his gun the 87a have now because was more accurate then mine. i lined up the shot and bam nothing happened he said see told you not a rabbit. I asked for one more shot he said ok but aim about 2inches high this time. so i lined it up again pulled trigger and bam. rabbit jumped once and laid down. got out of car ran and got him threw him in trunk of car and dad just looked at me and told me that was one fine shot. later that wk i heard him telling his friends about that shot and that made me prouder then i can even express because my dad was bragging on me and telling them he was proud of me

The first day my parents let me take the 22 rifle out by myself to go rabbit hunting when I got home my dad asked how many rabbits I shot. I said "One." He asked how many shells I had used. I said "Two." He said "You shot 2 shells and only got 1 rabbit?" The next day I went out again. When I got back he asked "How many shells did you use?" I said "One". He asked "How many rabbits did you get?" I said "Two." and held them up for him to see. He never gave me a hard time about my shooting again. He was only joking with me about wasting ammo, but he never questioned me about it again. He couldn't hit a barn from the inside. He wasn't a gun enthusiast. I got the two rabbits with one shot by accident. They were side by side and I only saw one. The bullet went through the one I saw and got the one beside it too. Couldn't have done it if I was trying to.

Another proud moment was when my brother-in-law yelled "Shoot It."(a running rabbit @ about 40-50 yards). I raised my 3" Charter Arms Pathfinder 22lr and put a bullet in one ear and out other ear (of the rabbit not the bro-in-law). He said "Wow. You got it." I said "You said shoot it." as cool as I could. Again, pure luck.

__________________
This is my gun. There are many like her, but this one is mine.

Supplying a woman or young shooter a .22 Pistol or revolver and some ammo to save them from being overgunned by dad/boyfriend/hubby and having them say they had a good time at the range. When they were obviously not having fun with the Gen V loudenboomer hardkicker.

My seven year old grandson lost his dad, my son, to illness earlier this year. I had been keeping son's rifle, a little Savage single shot, for him. A few weeks ago I took grandson to the range and helped him learn how to shoot dad's gun. He knows it will be his when he is old enough to have it where he lives.

Receiving a complement on my rapid fire grouping from a United States Olympic team Bulls eye shooter; he's not a person who's snobby nor does he often give complements. He said "done shooting already? I guess that's what happens when you put them all through the same hole" in reference to my target.

__________________
l've heard police work is dangerous. Yes, that's why l carry a big gun. Couldn't it go off accidentally? l used to have that problem. What did you do about it?
l just think about baseball. -Leslie Nielsen

I have two sons, neither of which really care to hunt much, but boy, did my youngest daughter make up for it! I'll never forget taking her deer hunting when she was 14 - her first year hunting here in Utah - (she's 19 now), and close to dusk on opening day we saw a 4 point buck on a side hill not far from the road. Her calmness and practice paid off, and she bagged it! When we went up to see it, I'll never forget what she said to me. She said "it's going to take a long time to wipe the smile off my face." Mine too. That was a proud Dad moment. Two years later, she followed up with a forked horn buck, pretty much in the same general area. I have had many good moments hunting, but this one ranks right up there with the best. Good times and good memories.

Probably walking into the sporting goods store in my college town and finding the rifle of my dreams, a 1936 vintage Savage 99 in .300 Savage.

And, over the rest of that year, laboriously paying off that rifle with the proceeds of my campus jobs, to the point where, when Mom and Dad came to pick me up at the end of the year, we made a detour and I picked up the first gun I ever bought without needing Mom or Dad to sign for it for me.

And, pretty close to that was clearing my first round of wobble trap, 25 for 25, just the other year.

I've gotten close many times, but that was a great feeling seeing that last one shatter.

__________________
"The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza

Shooting rapid fire at the range at 20 yards on a silhouette target. I bring in the target and see half of a smiling face on the target. I reloaded, put the target back at 20 yards, took my time aiming, and finished the smiley face by adding two more holes to the mouth and the other eye.

It was with my buddy's P226. I've been wanting one ever since I did that.

I was telling my seven year old daughter what a proper sight picture looks like for the second time when she said "Dad, I can do it!" and proceeded to hit the bulls eye five times in a row with her .22 rifle.

"Punching above my weight" at a competition. I finished third overall, in a field of ~70 shooters, beating some who held higher classifications and would be expected to beat me if we all shot to our demonstrated ability. The following day, I finished seventh overall, in a field of ~50, shooting a borrowed gun. Easily my best overall performance in fifteen years of USPSA competition.

This email link is to reach site administrators for assistance, if you cannot access TFL via other means. If you are a TFL member and can access TFL, please do not use this link; instead, use the forums (like Questions, Suggestions, and Tech Support) or PM an appropriate mod or admin.

If you are experiencing difficulties posting in the Buy/Sell/Trade subforums of TFL, please read the "sticky" announcement threads at the top of the applicable subforum. If you still feel you are qualified to post in those subforums, please contact "Shane Tuttle" (the mod for that portion of TFL) via Private Message for assistance.

This email contact address is not an "Ask the Firearms Expert" service. Such emails will be ignored. If you have a firearm related question, please register and post it on the forums.